How to dress baby for cooler weather

B

bumbeeno

Registered User
Hi there!

This is my very first post and I was wondering if anyone could share their own experience in relation to my question. I'm a new mom - my baby was born in the summer (he is now 3 months old) and all he ever needed to wear when I brought him out was a short-sleeved onesie. I always carry him in the Baby Bjorn when we go out because he won't sit in a stroller (and sometimes he would perspire a lot in the Bjorn especially when the weather is hot!).

Now that it is getting cooler, I am thinking ahead and how I should dress him when I go out during the autumn and winter, given that he will always be in the carrier and my own body heat would be a factor to consider. Would a long-sleeved, footed onesie suffice for autumn? Would he need a second layer in autumn? Winter? Any ideas? Any input would be greatly appreciated - I browsed in the shops the other day and saw a great range of winter clothing that looked suitable for arctic temperatures!

Thanks very much :)
 
I've read once that a baby should wear as many layers of clothes as us, plus one. Now, considering you'll carry him in a baby carrier, I would say that covering his legs will be important, as he won't able to move them, also his neck and head, as a baby loses his heat by the head. I used to take a light cover in my bag to put around the baby carrier in case of wind...
 
I read the same as above - dress them the same as us, plus a layer since they can`t move and generate heat. Hats are a must, in my opinion. Since he`s still small, I would dress him in footed stuff, especially if he`s in the carrier. When my baby was around that age, and it was March, I dressed him in a long sleeve onsie(all the time), sleeveless footed jumpers or just footed pants, and a hooded jacket when he went out.
 
My baby was 2-3mths around this time last year, I always dressed her with a inner short sleeve cotton top plus a short or long sleeve onise (mostly long sleeve) and yes hats and socks are a must especially if she was in a carrier. Yes she did perspire, we just make sure we wipe off the sweat right away to prevent catching a cold. Jackets are a must even now as the air con here in HK is usually at absurd extremes, even I need a jacket at all times too in the malls/ resturants!
 
I never used hats with my daughter in Hong Kong - personally I didn't think it was cold enough here. And personally I think that if she's perspiring, she's too hot. She would sweat easy - I think she's pretty "hot blooded", so I actually just dressed her the same as me. But yes, always made sure legs/feet were covered, and long sleeves and a jacket just in case (it usually stayed in my bag though).

I think, feel their little hands and if they're cold, put more clothes on them. And if they're perspiring, take a layer off.

I also think that children can "learn" a climate - people over here dress SO WARM, wearing jackets and long sleeves in summer, and ski jackets in winter!! When people from other places (particularly colder areas) dress in short sleeves once it hits 20 degrees (that would be year round in HK!!).

I do always have people over here telling me that both me and my baby need more clothes on because we must be too cold - but in actuality, both of us are quite fine ;)
 
i'm with nicole. if your baby is sweating she's too hot. people here really have a tendancy to overdress their children. (i had a child a couple of weeks ago, come to school with 5 layers on!)

i come from canada and know how to dress for the cold. there are only a few weeks in winter in HK that the ski jackets etc may be called for. my hubby is local and he starts wearing long sleeves when it gets "cold" at 24C! i always laugh at him as that is a beautiful temperature and perfect for short sleeves.

i WOULD take a light jacket or something with me and if the baby needed it, then i would put it on. I find restaurants, particularly chinese ones, to be very cold.

hats are really not necessary until february-ish. and by then, your baby will have no problem regulating her/his own body heat.
 
Thank you all very much for your replies. I have a better idea now of what can be mixed and matched - having relied on just the onesie all this while it is quite overwhelming just thinking about all the other options out there! I am glad I can still use onesies albeit as the innermost layer - they are just so convenient as the 'last frontier' and easily substituted in case of any nappy accidents!

yuukalim, thanks for sharing your experience this time last year. I'm generally fine with the aircons in malls and restaurants - I always feel too hot while my husband tends to feel cold. Not sure who my baby takes after... So I am always in one layer and so is baby - but he has the benefit of a giant hot water bottle!

Frenchy and Shenzhennifer - good pointers about keeping the legs and feet warm. What about hands?? Do you think they'd need mitts if it were very cold?

Nicole and Carang, I also had a sense my baby was too hot when he was perspiring. He is prone to heat rash and has also been recently diagnosed with early eczema. He had a bad case of seborrhea on his scalp and I read that hats might exacerbate it (because of the lack of circulation) but hopefully it will have cleared up should he ever need one. Carang: how does a baby regulate his body heat?

I will probably buy as I go along as there might be stuff on sale nearer Christmas and although bub has only just reached 3 months he is fitting quite nicely into the 3-6 month stuff already! They grow so quickly...

Thanks again everyone :)
 
newborns do not have the ability to regulate their body heat. that's why most hospitals put a little hat on the newborns. most of their body heat escapes through the head. as babies grow their bodies start to be able to do this a little more and a little more efficiently.
 
M&S had baby leggings on sale a week or so ago - they may still have some. Also I often go to the outlet stores in the lanes off Queens Road for baby clothes as their Baby GAP jumpsuits (onesies) are so cheap. Was there yesterday and they had English brand George leggings for $10 each! And Baby GAP long sleeve jumpsuits for $25 so stocked up for baby #2 arriving in winter.

Our first baby was born in winter too and I found that the long sleeve jumpsuits and leggings (with or without feet) were easier than the sleep suit all in ones with feet. Easier to just have them in long sleeve jumpsuits at home and in bed if they are swaddled and then add leggings when you go out.

SB2
 
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For hands, I never put anything on my baby`s hands, come to think of it. For the first month, he had socks on them all the time (mittens fell off) but after that I just let him be. I think a lot of his clothing in the early months was so big that his hands just naturally were covered.
 
At the start, we used scritch mits on his hands to stop him from clawing his face and eyes. For protection rather than warmth. I had heard that it was ok for their hands to be cold as long as their body is warm.
 
Thanks for all the tips :) There is a cold wind blowing out there today - time to put them to good use!

I did use scratch mittens when baby was going to bed mainly because of his eczema. He'd scratch himself raw if we let him. Also popped one onto the hand nearest to me whenever I feed him as he has this odd habit of frantically rubbing his ears/the side of the head nearest to me when feeding!
 
Hi...

starbucks2 said:
M&S had baby leggings on sale a week or so ago - they may still have some. Also I often go to the outlet stores in the lanes off Queens Road for baby clothes as their Baby GAP jumpsuits (onesies) are so cheap. Was there yesterday and they had English brand George leggings for $10 each! And Baby GAP long sleeve jumpsuits for $25 so stocked up for baby #2 arriving in winter.

Our first baby was born in winter too and I found that the long sleeve jumpsuits and leggings (with or without feet) were easier than the sleep suit all in ones with feet. Easier to just have them in long sleeve jumpsuits at home and in bed if they are swaddled and then add leggings when you go out.

SB2
Click to expand...

Hi starbucks2,

I just like to ask about this baby`s outlet store that you were talking about. Do you mind if i ask you the address or what exit at the mtr should i get out? I would like to go there and buy some baby`s clothes.. I really want to get this GAP stuff coz i heard they have really good ones.. Thanks & hope to see your reply... x

:-)
Bubi
 
Hi bubi

Happy to share but hope the directions make sense ...

The store is part of "the lanes" which are off Queens Road Central (Li Yuen Street East and Li Yuen Street West). If you are taking the MTR, its the stop for Central and then find your way to H&M on Queens Road. If you go down the lane which is opposite H&M on Queens Road (next to McDonalds) it is about the first or second store on the left. Opposite a man selling silky dressing gowns from a stall. Can't remember the name of the shop but it is up 2 or 3 big steps and is all open at the front. It has kids stuff on one side and ladies on the other. There is also an upstairs part with different things. GAP jumpsuits downstairs and cheap baby leggings upstairs. Good luck! The next few shops down the row are also good and worth a look.

SB2
 
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